After 4-year-old’s death, Sirsa admin tightens guidelines for playschools

The tragic death of a four-year-old boy at an unregistered private playschool in Mamera Kalan village has finally stirred the Sirsa administration into action. Following a report published by ‘The Tribune’ and a suo motu notice taken by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, authorities have begun verifying the status of hundreds of private playschools operating in the district.

Sirsa reportedly has around 200 private playschools, but a recent snap survey by the Women and Child Development Department confirmed only 166 of them. Shockingly, just 29 schools were found to be officially registered. The rest are either operating without valid permission or have incomplete registration on the Saral Haryana portal.

In response, the department has now issued strict directives mandating registration for all private playschools. According to guidelines by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), no private playschool is allowed to function without proper registration. Violators will face strict legal action, including possible shutdowns and admission bans.

Dr Darshna Singh, Deputy Director and District Programme Officer of the Women and Child Development Department, told ‘The Tribune’, “We have received registration files from 37 schools, which are now being processed through the Saral portal. Annual renewal of registration is compulsory and any school operating without it will not be allowed to admit children.”

She further said, “Schools offering transportation must obtain route approvals from the RTO. Playschools are permitted to admit only children aged 3 to 6 years. Compliance with building safety norms, fire safety, staff police verification and use of the term ‘Playschool’ in the institution’s name is mandatory.”

Emphasising parental awareness, Dr Singh said, “Parents must verify the school’s registration before enrolling their children. All school operators must upload the required documents promptly. Failure to do so will result in legal consequences.”

The District Child Welfare Committee’s probe into the Mamera Kalan case revealed severe negligence. The school was operating illegally from a residential building, lacked classrooms, toilets, and CCTV cameras and had no registration.

Taking cognisance, the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry issued notices to the Director, Women and Child Development Department, and the Deputy Commissioner of Sirsa, seeking a detailed report. The matter is scheduled for hearing on August 1.